GAZA CITY: Jerusalem’s Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa pledged on Monday not to abandon Gaza’s Christian community as he visited the territory with his Greek Orthodox counterpart.

Pizzaballa and Patriarch Theophilos III arrived for a pastoral visit aimed at supporting both Gaza’s small Christian population and its wider community after years of war and hardship.

“We want to bring the greetings from all the churches in Jerusalem, and to bring also our prayer and our desire for support and unity,” Pizzaballa told a service at Gaza City’s Holy Family Church.

“We never abandoned you and you’ll never be abandoned,” he said, according to a video published on the congregation’s Facebook page.

Pizzaballa participates in an interfaith dialogue at Gaza’s Al-Azhar University

The visit comes as Gaza’s dwindling Christian community of around 1,000 people faces displacement, insecurity and severe shortages of basic items alongside the rest of the population.

In a statement announcing the trip, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said the visit reflected “the pastoral responsibility of the Churches of Jerusalem toward the local churches and toward the whole population of Gaza, where families continue to endure grave humanitarian suffering, fear, loss and uncertainty”.

During their stay, Pizzaballa and Theophilos III met with clergy, religious communities, families and others affected by the ongoing crisis.

Pizzaballa also participated in an interfaith dialogue at Gaza’s Al-Azhar University later on Monday, and thanked students for participating “despite the exams, despite the bombs, despite the destruction,” footage from the main hall showed.

The Patriarch also planted an olive tree in the middle of the university’s courtyard.

“This is a small sign but an important one — a sign of peace and a symbol of hope. We need such signs and symbols to remind us how important it is to plant the seeds of peace,” he said.

Pizzaballa and Theophilos III are being accompanied by representatives of relief organisation Malteser International. Pizzaballa previously travelled to Gaza a few days before Christmas last year to celebrate mass at the Holy Family Church.

He also visited with Theophilos III last July, after Israeli fire struck the church, killing three people.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2026